FORMS
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The benefits of therapeutic riding and equine assisted therapy have been recognized for many years. Each rider is given an opportunity to experience success and pride in his or her accomplishments as well as unconditional acceptance by their horse, the staff, and the volunteers. The participants benefit from equitherapy in line with specific objectives unique to each client. The horse is the motivator that encourages the client to work longer and harder at therapy than in a traditional classroom or clinical setting. The healing interaction between horses, riders, and those who help them is at the center of all our programs.

 Our “Hooves, Hearts and Heroes” school based program uses an integrated curriculum as an extension of the standard special education curriculum. Many students from the special education departments of the Boerne and Bandera ISD school systems come to our Center to participate in this program. Admissions Review and Exit evaluations involving the Director of Special Education, the classroom Special Education teacher, parents and appropriate diagnosticians are conducted for each prospective client. The students then progress though our therapeutic horseback riding program and participate in equine facilitated learning lessons that are fine tuned to their special needs. Student progress is evaluated after each lesson and future lessons are adjusted as necessary so as to provide individualized instruction. Equitherapy is utilized as one more additional approach to fulfill the child’s special physical and mental needs, and aids in their academic successes. Triple H has provided this program for the Boerne and Bandera Independent School Districts for many years and now is expanding the program out to Northside ISD. 

Our “From Fear to Responsibility” Program is a collaborative effort with local school districts and other agencies for troubled and abused “at risk” youth. Under the counseling and recommendation of therapists, counselors and case managers, Triple H gives children and youth of school age, an opportunity to participate in a proactive program where they develop character and growth in personal responsibility, as they learn to ride and care for their assigned program horse. The goal is to develop a work ethic and encourage positive values essential to good citizenship by placing children and youth in situations where they must earn the trust and respect of a powerful prey animal, the horse. The youthful participants learn self-discipline, a sense of responsibility and self-confidence. The horse and its rider form a bond that changes the child by affecting his/her attitudes and behavior. 

In our ‘Riding to Independence” Program, clients who suffer from various physical, emotional and social challenges participate in therapeutic horseback riding under professional instruction which reflects their individual therapeutic needs. Adults and children participate by referral from personal physicians and therapists, local hospitals, schools, youth service organizations and clinics. This referral procedure creates a large group of privately contracted participants who are quite diversified. The program participants are divided into program classes according to age, ability and interests. Each rider’s objectives are individually set by the therapeutic riding teams and are reinforced by the use of a rider directed curriculum, educational games and reinforced by trail ride experiences. Triple H has expanded this program so as to provide services to those who have participated with us before in our school based programs and other children and youth programs. Clients can then return, after their session within another program such as Hooves, Hearts & Heroes, to continue their equine assisted therapy. 

 “Way of Equus” Program is an equine facilitated psychotherapy program that serves children, youth and adults who suffer from psychological trauma and emotional and mental disorder. Upon a thorough review of the client’s needs, a programmed set of “ground based” lessons are formulated for each client. Our Equine Specialist and Psychotherapist/Licensed Professional Counselor participate each activity under the supervision of our Medical Director and encourage the client to express his or her emotions in a psychologically safe environment. Each client completes a series of activities, with extended service provided when needed, with emphasis on problem solving, communication, social skills, anger management and behavior improvement, social reintegration and the overall improvement of mental and emotional health.   

Children’s Opportunities in Leadership Training & Service (COLTS) Volunteer Program is provided as an opportunity for growth for our Open the Gate Project participants and other youthful volunteers. As program volunteers who provide assistance to our horses, disabled clients and to the overall ranch facility, the participants develop character and self-reliance. Each activity is organized, performed under adult supervision and founded on traditional values of respect and responsibility. Our COLTS volunteer program identifies, develops, and promotes leadership skills as we engage children/youth in a program geared to develop self-esteem and self-worth through volunteer community service and outdoor recreational activities. We also have local youth organizations assisting as volunteers such as the Boy Scouts of America, 4-H Youth Programs, college and university programs and church youth groups so our program participants will be able to socialize positively with their peers and enjoy the gift of giving back to their community. The healing interaction between horses, riders, and those who help them is at the center of all our programs.

OUR PROJECTS

The Triple H “Open the Gate” Project for children and youth provides equine facilitated psychotherapy, equine assisted mental health interventions and therapeutic horse back riding for children and youth who suffer from the corrosive effects of emotional and mental disorders. Our “Open the Gate” Project encompasses four distinct programs that are offered at Triple H: “Way of Equus”, “From Fear to Responsibility”, “Riding to Independence” and our “COLTS” Youth Volunteer Program. The children and youth within this project come from underserved rural communities within the counties of northern Bexar, Bandera, Kendall, Kerr and Medina Counties. Our “Open the Gate” Project provides much needed mental health assistance for at-risk children/youth that have suffered from emotional and mental health issues.

The Triple H “Horses for Heroes” Project encompasses equine facilitated mental health, therapeutic riding and driving and recreational equine activities within our programs such as Riding to Independence, Way of Equus and COLTS as adult supervisors. The Horses for Heroes Project has the primary goal of easing the veteran’s transition back into family and into every day life by providing equine facilitated activities that improve their physical, mental and social well-being. The equine experiences emphasize the unique bond between horse and man and that encourage clients to confront and deal with the reality of their lives. The focus is to provide physical and cognitive behavioral therapy for veterans and their families that encourage clients to confront both their physical issues and emotional issues and apply problem solving, creative thinking, teamwork, and non-verbal communications that rebuild basic human capabilities. The program objectives emphasize a guiding principal of recovery to restore empowerment and gain control in ones life. Recovery takes place within the context of relationships and not in isolation. With the assistance of an equine friend, veterans and their families are given the opportunity to progressively fulfill their basic human needs trust, autonomy, initiative, confidence, identity and intimacy. Within our Horses for Heroes Project, both the veteran and his or her family have the opportunity to enjoy the natural companionship of our horses, in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, within a non-clinical ranch setting, as they enjoy the company of family and new friends.

If you know of an individual who will benefit from our programs, please have them contact us for an assessment. We also encourage referrals from local educational and disability care providers and collaborate with area school districts for clients to receive equitherapy services We do not ever turn away a financially disadvantaged client due to inability to pay.